How high can a person's total wants be without the person being greedy?

[Boojatta]

If there's no answer, then what does "greed" mean?

Suppose that I have a box of cookies and I tell a person "take as many as you want." Suppose that the person takes all of the cookies from the box. If I am annoyed, then is the problem that the person was greedy or that I offered more than I should have offered?

[Eric J in MN]

1. We need a system which promotes equality.

If I were a CEO making $20 million/year, and I could persuade the board to double that, then I would.

Individual greed isn't the problem.

The problem is that our tax code isn't progressive enough.

[RandomThoughts]

2. Thats a good question actually.

I think it has to do with adequate distribution within your empathy circle and presumed worth.

If there were 10 cookies, 3 people in the room, someone taking 3 might not seem greedy. but if there were 10 people taking 3 would seem greedy. Or if there were 2 people that were your peer group you cared about, and 8 others that did not matter to you, then 3 would not be greedy.

Or if one person was really hungry, because of need you would not mind. Or if someone just did some work for you, you would credit it in your mind as some payment.

I would guess the church has some extensive comments on what is greedy. But I do not know their ideas on it.

It might also be having something to do with need, but need is hard to define.

All things in moderation comes to mind.

[provis99]

3. greed is when you have something at someone else's expense.

Human wants are unlimited, but wants are not necessarily greed. Wants become greed when humans take what they want and pass the cost on to someone else (eg. war, pollution, externalities, theft, etc. are all greed, but wanting everyone on Earth to be happy is not greed).

[MaxPlancker]

4. You mean, like taxes?

Now, I know you did not mean taxes, but in order to not be misconstrued your message header could use some rephrasing. Like perhaps, "greed is when you unjustifiably have something at someone else's expense. A minor point perhaps but it helps cut down on possible spin. Cheers!

[Boojatta]

8. I don't think that it's a minor point.

I think that it's a major point and I'm glad somebody (who happened to be MaxPlancker) made the point.

Now, the problem is that we need some basis for determining what is or isn't justifiable. Until that is done, anything goes because anything can be said to be justifiable and anything can be said to be unjustifiable.

[walldude]

9. In return for your taxes you get schools, roads, air traffic control

police, fire departments, national parks, street lights, etc, etc. At least you are supposed to. Right now we just give all the money to the filthy rich. If they worked the way they should taxes are an investment.


Welcome to DU! :toast:

[KGodel]

5. If I tell a person "Kill me if you want"

and he kills me. That's pretty fucked up all around. Huh?

[Fla_Democrat]

6. exactly 1 more

Exactly 1 more than what I have. :evilgrin:

That's not quite true, but you get the point. Greed, fair, pretty, ugly, are subjective words, depending on each person to define them. If you gathered 100 people off the street, and asked them a question with any of those words in it, I dare say you would be lucky to only get 50 different answers.

[dorkulon]

7. Everyone's greedy; that's not the point.

The point is that boundless greed necessitates that something is there to limit the ability to satiate that greed.